Counseling Center

Automatic Thoughts

Now that we have looked at the interactions between thoughts, emotions, and feelings, let’s focus on thoughts. Our thoughts can be conscious, intentional and/or purposeful, like when you are purposefully working on a homework assignment and thinking about the content. Or our thoughts can be automatic, like a reflex.

Automatic thoughts are the thoughts and/or images that automatically pop into our heads. We don't choose for them to happen, they just do. 

For example, you may be purposefully working on your homework when the automatic thought pops up that you suddenly need to clean your room or text a friend or call your mom back.  These automatic thoughts can be helpful or unhelpful. 

For example, if you’re working on that homework assignment and you have the thought “I need to go to the bathroom,” that’s helpful. But if the automatic thoughts distract you from what you are trying to accomplish and you can’t refocus on your homework, it is not so helpful.

Sometimes, automatic thoughts can impact the way we feel or further think about things. We’re going to hone in on these automatic thoughts, particularly the unhelpful ones, because this is where we can start to see some difficulties when it comes to anxiety. 

Let’s talk about some examples of automatic thoughts and feelings that might go with them.  Imagine you notice that your heart rate has accelerated. You may have the thought, “My heart is racing, I must be having a panic attack” or you may have the thought “My heart is racing, I'm so excited!” Can you see how the same internal experience or stimulus (i.e., heart racing) can provoke different thoughts?

What feelings do you think you would have if you had the thought “My heart if racing, I must be having a panic attack?”

Now what feelings do you think you would have if you had the thought “My heart is racing, I'm so excited!”

Can you see how different thoughts may provoke different feelings?

Here’s another example, this time, our thoughts are in response to an external stimulus. Imagine you’re walking on campus and someone doesn’t acknowledge you when you say “hi.” You have the thought “they must not like me” or you have the thought “maybe they didn’t hear me.” 

Can you see how having these two different thoughts might elicit a different emotional response? You may feel hurt if you think they don’t like you, or you might brush it off if you think they didn’t hear you.

Consider the example situation here. The person had the thought, "No one will like me because I'm so socially awkward."  How might that impact his or her feelings or behaviors?

Applying to Your Own Work

Take a look at your own anxiety provoking situations from your cross sectional formulation. Remember when we talked about how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors all interact; well, automatic thoughts can impact the way we feel or further think about things. 

Taking a look at your formulation. is it possible that any of the thoughts listed were unhelpful automatic thoughts?

As we keep practicing these tools and increasing your awareness, you may notice some patterns in your thoughts. Some types of thoughts happen more often than others.

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Last Updated: 6/27/22